A Dance in Paradise
by Dicsi
Summary: When dealing with a food crisis, Atlantis forms a treaty with a planet that's almost too good to be true. Or is it? John/Elizabeth UST
1. Medarion

_A/N: It's been a long time lurking in the shadow's for me! I recently rememered that I still have an account and honestly haven't written a story in forever. This will be my first try at a Stargate Atlantis story. I've recently picked up on this fandom again and can't believe this show isn't on tv anymore… This started out with me trying to write a short oneshot, but the plot bunnies decided otherwise._

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 **A Dance in Paradise**

John hadn't seen Elizabeth smile this much recently. He was watching her from the other side of the bonfire. Her skin had gotten slightly tanned by the sun from Medarion, the tropical planet they'd been on for the day. He had to admit, the tan looked more than good on her. Her cheeks rozy from the drinks they'd been offered. Her cheekbones were just a little more visable than usual. The flames of the fire reflecting a glow on her smiling face. They certainly had been having a good time here. The atmosphere on the planet seemed just right from the moment they'd arrived. The beach, the ocean, the warmhearted people and not to forget the fertile fields with more than enough crops and kettle the planet would need. John smiled to himself. It almost felt like a vacation. One that was much needed as well, although that wasn't the reason for their visit.

Atlantis had again been dealing with a food crisis. Being cut off from Earth the last shipments of food and other neccesities had been 6 months ago. From that time on they'd been on portion control with the food. Three small meals a day and nothing more. Making sure everyone got what was neccesary to be fed for as long as they could stretch it out.

They'd ran completely out of stock five days ago.

Desperate to find a planet to form a treaty with, all teams had been send to different planets from the Atlantian database. It was on the fourth day that he and his team had gotten back from an uninhabited planet, when SGA-5 came back through the gate from their mission. All carrying a basket with different sorts of fruit and vegetables.

The Medarion people had been very helpfull and welcoming. Sending the team on their way with a token of good will. A self-providing, simple, yet civilised society with what seemed very kind and hospitable people. After the debriefing of SGA-5 Elizabeth hadn't wanted to waste any more time and decided to visit the planet immediately to start negotiating a treaty.

They'd been cautious when stepping through the gate at first. "It just all seems to good to be true" John had told Elizabeth before leaving Atlantis. "Let's keep our guard up a little and see from there what we'll find on the planet". Of course she had agreed with him. His team was armed and ready just in case. But when they'd set first foot on the planet, caution was the last thing on their minds. When their eyes had adjusted to the bright sunlight, they'd all looked around with awe. The stargate was located on a large rock, next to the ocean. The scenery was just wonderfull. Her eyes had followed the shoreline. Seeing the sandy beach and the palmtrees. In the distance there were some wooden huts visible.

The sound of childrens laughter filled the air. Elizabeth had beamed at John smiling. "Wow, look at this place!"

A couple of children had been playing tag at the beach. When the gate had activated they'd come up running towards the rock to see who was coming to visit them. The children had welcomed them with a lot of curious questions and had brought them to the huts on the shoreline to meet their leader. A middle aged man called Tharo.

Negotiations had been easy.

"We Medarions are gladly of help to the Atlantians", Tharo had told Elizabeth, smiling at her and bowing his head. "There's plenty here, more than we need. Feel free to make yourselves comfortable and relax with us".

He'd invited them to dinner. Which was, after four days of eating hardly anything, a more than welcome addition to this mission.

The sun had started to set, but the temperature was still comfortably warm. They'd eaten outside, sitting at a long table on the sandy beach. Teyla seemed to enjoy herself talking among the local villagers. Sharing stories of her homeworld. Rodney sat happy eating anything he could get his hands on. John sat next to Ronon. Elizabeth was laughing at a story Tharo was telling her and John caught her glancing briefly at him from across the table. Nodding shortly he smiled back at her. She seemed very at ease with the Medarion leader. Tharo had shown a keen interest in Elizabeth from the moment they'd arrived at the planet. John couldn't really wrap his head around it. He himself had been feeling very at ease the whole time he'd been on this World. Yet, Elizabeth talking to Tharo unsettled him a bit. "She seems to be having fun", Ronon observed. "This place is almost magical, no?".

"Yeah, magical", John muttered to himself. Just as the feeling of uneasiness came, it went away again. Making place for a relaxing buzz.

Some of the villagers had started a fire as a celebration for their guests. As the fire was growing larger and larger everyone started leaving the table and gathered among the fire.

"People, people!" Tharo shouted over the talking crowd. He was standing next to the fire. "In honour of our new friends, let's celebrate!" He put his hands up in the air and the whole crowd started cheering. "Music, please!"

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 _A/N: What do you think, should I continue?_


	2. Dances

_A/N: I'm not really sure about how this chapter turned out, but decided to post it anyways. Reviews are very much appreciated!_

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Teyla was being pulled by her hand by one of the children she'd been sitting next to at the table. She'd been talking to the girl's mother she assumed. They looked a lot alike. Both having fair skin, dark hair and blue eyes. "Come dance with me!" the girl insisted. The girl's mother gave her a stern look. "Pleaaase?" the girl added, asking hopefully.

It took little convincing."Alright, alright", Teyla smiled at the girl, "I will go dancing with you". Putting her drink down she left her seat to go with her. "Yay!" the child exclaimed. Pulling Teyla's hand a little harder to go towards the fire.

* * *

John was standing a little on the outside of the dancing crowd, looking across the large fire. Hoping to spot a glance of a familiar red shirt through the crowd. _Where was she?_ He scanned the crowd for her face and finally noticed her, somewhere in the background talking to Tharo, the Medarion leader.

Elizabeth smiled at Tharo. The man touching her shoulder and standing close to tell her something, leaning towards her ear. _Probably to make himself heard over the music_. He thought. As if she'd felt him looking at her, Elizabeth lifted her eyes directly into John's direction. Holding his gaze for a moment. John suddenly felt a nervous pang come up from his stomach. Like he had been caught spying her in a way. When he really wasn't. Was he? _Just making sure she is alright._ He told himself. Elizabeth smiled at him for a moment and gave him a subtle nod before averting her eyes. Focusing on her conversation again.

She was alright John realized.

He looked at the crowd again. Teyla was swaying around with the little girl. The girl jumping up and down excitedly. Most people were dancing almost in ecstasy he noticed. Smiling faces everywhere. Some men had lit up a couple of smaller fires near the larger one. Lighting up the beach area near the huts where the people seemed to have their homes. Women and men dancing with each other. Spinning and dipping. They had it all going on. A duo playing cheerful music. Melodic tunes coming from the man playing a guitar-like instrument. A woman with long, dark, wavy hair playing a drum providing the bass tones.

John's gaze cut back to the place where he'd last seen Elizabeth talking to Tharo. They weren't there anymore.

The music was getting louder and people laughing filled his senses.

"Come on!" someone yelled.

He felt a hand tug at his arm and suddenly he was being pulled into the crowd

Usually he wasn't one to dance at parties. He was more a hang-at-the-bar kind of guy. Happy just watching others dance and scanning the people present in the room. Not that he was a wall flower. No, he could joke around just as much at the bar. He just didn't like dancing particularly. Having a good time, didn't really went hand in hand with dancing to him.

But into this dancing crowd it was hard not to move. Standing still was almost impossible. With people continuously bumping into him. And he had to admit, the music was kind of catchy.

Surprised he was as well that Rodney seemed to have made his way away from the food. He was a few feet away from John, dancing rather comically with a Medarion woman. They both seemed into it. Rodney was doing 'the robot', making funny faces in the process. The woman laughed at him, trying to copy his moves.

Minding his own business again, John started moving to the rhythm of the music. Occasionally stealing a short dance with someone next to him. He actually was enjoying himself. He didn't know if it was the island or maybe the drinks they'd been having at dinner. But he was having fun. Enjoying the moment.

"I didn't know you danced!", he heard a familiar voice exclaim directly behind him.

He turned around to face the amused face of Elizabeth Weir.

"Yeah.. well.. You know.." He shrugged, smiling at her, "It is a great party".

"It certainly is!" She replied grinning. She nodded her head a little to the left "Any idea how that happened?" She said signaling into the direction Rodney was standing.

He turned his head and noticed Rodney now dancing rather intimately with the woman he'd seen him with before.

"Never thought it'd be humanly possible", A lopsided grin appeared on his face, "Not in our universe anyways"

"Yes. Well maybe that's just it. The women here certainly have a positive outlook on life".

"Yeah, but still a good looking woman who is _that_ positive?" They both turned their head to glance at the dancing pair. The woman was smiling brightly at the Canadian scientist and had her hands all over him. "I mean, it still is Rodney", he joked.

Elizabeth laughed at him, "Hey be nice now John"

"Me? I'm always nice", he mock-pretended.

This got him a raised eyebrow from her.

"Well…" he started, but was cut off from finishing his sentence. Interrupted by the crowd becoming even more active than before. Responding to the energizing bass of the music. John was caught off guard by someone bumping hard into his back, causing him to lose balance and stumble forward. Almost falling down in the process. In a reflex John grasped Elizabeth by the waist to steady himself.

She shrieked, not expecting the sudden weight leaning on her. Barely keeping straight herself.

"Oofh!" He grumbled, "Sorry about that". He looked at her apologetically. The crowd was thickening around the fire. They were standing quite close to it. He could feel the warmth radiating both from the fire and the people around him. They were surrounded by people. His personal space almost nonexistent now, being invaded by others.

He was still holding Elizabeth by the waist. Usually they didn't touch each other much. A natural response of him would be to quickly let go of her again. But she actually didn't seem to mind him touching her. And he felt strangely comfortable with the situation as well. Which was weird for him he reasoned.

Following the movements of the crowd, they started swaying to the music. Elizabeth placed her hand on his shoulder. They were being pressed closer together. Sharing each other's space. Or whatever was left of it. She looked up at him, searching his eyes. Hesitating a moment before placing her head next to his. Tentatively touching his cheek with hers.

She let out a soft sigh.

"John…"

It felt right and wrong at the same time. Being this close to Elizabeth didn't freak him out. On the contrary…

 _Something is definitely not right_ , he thought.

"Something is not right", he said suddenly. Voicing his thought.

"Did you notice, you know… anything different from before?" He asked her.

She was quiet for a moment.

"I think so", she replied softly. He could feel her breath on his neck. "It just all seems so… surreal. And I don't even know if that's the right word to describe it".

She continued, "All day I felt so happy and relaxed. But right now… it's like my feelings and thoughts don't match up anymore. It's a strange sensation". She moved her head to look him in the eye, speaking up a little, "Very confusing".

"I know".

The relaxed feeling he'd been having while on the planet seemed to be wearing off little by little. He'd noticed it a little earlier during the evening already. Just subtly, but he felt a difference in his mood. It started to get a little less cheerful. Becoming more aware. And as of yet, he wasn't sure about what.

* * *

The last bits of daylight were making place for the glow of the stars in the dark sky. The fires on the beach providing a beacon of light. The little girl Teyla's been dancing with suddenly comes to a stop. Turning her head, looking up at the sky.

"Oh no, there's no moon", she says, sounding alarmed. The girl looks at Teyla. Her eyes large with fear. "We must go. We must go hide!"

That was the moment the music stopped. And complete silence followed.


End file.
